Supercross Sales Soar

The Wales leg of the British Supercross championship at the Millennium Stadium tomorrow (Sat 6.45pm) will be the largest in the 20-year UK history of the sport.

The Millennium Stadium has sold 20,000 tickets, and counting, for the event which will also see Wrexham stuntman Jason Rennie attempt a World indoor distance record for a motorbike jump.

That attendance figure is on a par with the biggest Supercross events throughout the rest of Europe, with events at the Bercy indoor arena in Paris and Palexpo Stadium in Geneva attracting similar crowds.

The sport regularly out sells Grid-iron in America with 70,000 crowds entertained at the LA Coliseum, but the Millennium Stadium will still match other indoor venues in the USA like the MGM Grand Casino in Las Vegas which has a 20,000 capacity.

Other venues in the UK - the Sheffield Arena, the NEC in Birmingham and Earl's Court - attract 8,000 strong crowds, but promoters hope that un-precedented enthusiasm for the event in Wales will help to grow the sport in the UK to the grandiose proportions it enjoys across the Atlantic.

"We are already negotiating with the Millennium Stadium to bring further Supercross events to Cardiff as a direct consequence of the overwhelming response we have had so far," said owner of Future West International, John Hellam, who is running the event.

"There has been a strong take up throughout Wales and it must be the Millennium Stadium factor that has got people excited.

"It's great news for the future of Supercross in Wales because I can guarantee that everyone who turns up this time will be back for more when we return, and they will be wanting to bring their friends to share in the spectacular experience.

"The capacity at the Millennium Stadium for our event will be 50,000 and there is no reason why we can't be reaching that kind of target in years to come - the event really is that good."

The Supercross track at the Millennium Stadium was constructed within a 60 hour time limit, with the first pallet of grass removed on the final whistle of Wales' Euro 2004 qualifier against Russia.

Actor and Millennium Stadium Tour Guide Gareth Bale has been performing his one-man play about Wales rugby legend Ray Gravell across Wales. He chats to WRU TV before taking his show to the Edinburgh Festival.

After widespread consultation, the WRU has made major changes to its pathway programme for girls rugby with a spring and summer season being introduced with immediate effect in order to respond to a clear demand to play the game.

Martyn Phillips addresses the press after being unveiled as the Welsh Rugby Union's new group chief executive. Phillips, who is originally from Fishguard, will work alongside WRU Chairman Gareth Davies, to lead and manage the strategic and operational development and evolution of the governing body at a time of rapid change within the game and will take up his new role at the WRU in the autumn.

The Webb Ellis Cup visited Lampeter on Monday to recognise the fact that the town is celebrating a major milestone as it is believed the first ever game of rugby played in Wales, was in fact played in Lampeter 150 years ago.